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3 - Theory in landscape ecology

from PART II - Theory, experiments, and models in landscape ecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2009

By
R. V. O'Neill
Edited by
John A. Wiens  and
Michael R. Moss
R. V. O'Neill
Affiliation:
Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge USA
John A. Wiens
Affiliation:
The Nature Conservancy, Washington DC
Michael R. Moss
Affiliation:
University of Guelph, Ontario
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Summary

Over the past decade, landscape ecology has seen a period of remarkable progress. Remote imagery has provided new access to spatial data. Geographic information systems (GIS) have facilitated the handling, analysis, and display of spatial data. New theory has provided the means to quantify pattern (O'Neill et al., 1988a), test hypotheses against random expectations (Gardner et al., 1987), and come to grips with complexity (Milne, 1991) and scale (Turner et al., 1993). The stage seems set for breakthroughs in the new millennium. Nowhere in the field of ecology is there greater promise, nowhere are there more exciting challenges.

This paper has a simple outline. The following sections review four areas of theory that have been applied to spatial effects in ecology. Each theory is then examined to identify the key advances that will be needed to apply the theory to our understanding of landscape dynamics. The intent is to propose an explicit list of major challenges for landscape theory.

Hierarchy theory and landscape scale

The concept of spatial hierarchy has already proven its value. Hierarchy theory (Allen and Starr, 1982; O'Neill et al., 1986) states that ecosystem processes are organized into discrete scales of interaction. The scaled temporal dynamics, in turn, impose discrete spatial scales on the landscape. O'Neill et al. (1991) examined vegetation transects from four ecosystems and established that multiple scales of pattern actually existed in the field.

Type
Chapter
Information
Issues and Perspectives in Landscape Ecology , pp. 23 - 28
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2005

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References

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  • Theory in landscape ecology
    • By R. V. O'Neill, Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge USA
  • Edited by John A. Wiens, The Nature Conservancy, Washington DC, Michael R. Moss, University of Guelph, Ontario
  • Book: Issues and Perspectives in Landscape Ecology
  • Online publication: 20 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511614415.004
Available formats
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  • Theory in landscape ecology
    • By R. V. O'Neill, Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge USA
  • Edited by John A. Wiens, The Nature Conservancy, Washington DC, Michael R. Moss, University of Guelph, Ontario
  • Book: Issues and Perspectives in Landscape Ecology
  • Online publication: 20 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511614415.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Theory in landscape ecology
    • By R. V. O'Neill, Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge USA
  • Edited by John A. Wiens, The Nature Conservancy, Washington DC, Michael R. Moss, University of Guelph, Ontario
  • Book: Issues and Perspectives in Landscape Ecology
  • Online publication: 20 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511614415.004
Available formats
×